Editor’s Note: Details about Richmond’s rally on Saturday can be found here.
The No Kings protest is shaping up to be one of the largest pro-democracy protest in American history. Spread across 2,500 cities and towns nationwide, from major metropolitan areas like NYC, LA, and Chicago to mid-majors like Richmond, Charlotte, and Portland (Maine), and even small Southern towns like Birmingham, Jackson, and Charleston, millions of citizens will take to the streets to protest the authoritarianism of President Donald Trump.
The last No Kings protest in June peacefully mobilized millions of Americans (thousands in Richmond), coinciding with Trump’s military parade in Washington DC. An event that was under reported nationally at the time. The same cannot be said for the October 18 protest, which has created a wave of fear mongering among the president’s supporters.
According to the national organizers: “Now, President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most. Rigging maps to silence voters. Ignoring mass shootings at our schools and in our communities. Driving up the cost of living while handing out massive giveaways to billionaire allies, as families struggle.”
The organizers signed off with a familiar refrain, noting America doesn’t have kings and won’t back down against “chaos, corruption, and cruelty.” This is a declaration that should resonate with all citizens who believe in democracy.
Despite this, acolytes of the president are scrambling to project a different kind of message. One that frames this mass mobilization against authoritarianism as a “hate rally” led by “terrorists”, “radicals,” “Antifa,” or a conspiracy that’s being astroturfed by shadowy organizations. All of which is patently absurd to anyone who has ever attended a No Kings rally. Not to mention the risible farce of using these labels to describe millions of citizens exercising their constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
However one interprets this rhetoric, one thing is clear: this is not the response of people confident in their position. They’re worried. Trump’s agenda is deeply unpopular and attempting to portray No Kings as anything other than that is a desperate attempt to maintain control over a narrative they’re rapidly losing. Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, said it best in an interview with the Bulwark: “And I think it’s quite clear: This is an authoritarian regime that is very scared of mass organizing, peaceful protest, and that’s true of any authoritarian regime.”
We’ve re-entered a period of political turmoil in America. Any rhetoric that labels a peaceful protests as a “hate rally” and fellow citizens as “terrorists” is deeply dangerous, not just for the potential incitement to violence, but for the wellbeing of our democracy overall, which is already backsliding.
But don’t take our word for it. The acolytes can speak for themselves.
What They’re Saying
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is claiming this is a “hate-America rally” that will bring together Hamas supporters, Marxists, and “Antifa people.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed the sentiment, calling those attending the rally “unhinged” during an interview earlier this week (minute 3:00).
Republican Tom Emmer (minute 1:22) claimed that No Kings is appeasing “the most radical pro-terror wing of the Democratic Party.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy claimed that those attending the rally are being paid and are part of “Antifa.”
Over the years, RVA Mag has covered countless protests and rallies across Virginia and Washington DC—including No Kings. These demonstrations have been thoughtful, well-organized, and above all, peaceful displays of solidarity against what’s happening in America.
Should you wish to join, don’t be deterred by the rhetoric. If this is your first time participating in a No Kings rally, you can find more information here.
Additionally, find some photos below from previous No Kings and 50501 Virginia rallies. No “terrorists” found, only hardworking Virginians who want a better future for the Commonwealth.
Next Thursday at 6pm, RVA Mag hosts Battleground Democracy, part of our Salon de Résistance live interview series at Black Iris. Join two of Virginia’s leading political scientists Dr. Alex Keena and Dr. Dana El Kurd for a candid look at how authoritarianism takes hold, why democratic institutions falter, and what these global shifts mean for Virginia’s future and America’s role in the world.
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